Road Trip: The Beginning
by Rivan Warrioress
Summary: After almost loosing his own life, as well as those of his sons, John Winchester decides to introduce Sam and Dean to their younger half brothers Adam and Xander, but Sunnydale has a surprise in store...John fathered another child who calls Sunnydale home
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or any events, characters or locations featured in either series. Supernatural was created by Eric Kripke, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer was created by the talented Joss Whedon. I own nothing. **

John Winchester scowled as he flicked through his journal, trying to keep his mind off the situation he and his boys found themselves in at that moment.

John felt helpless and he hated feeling helpless. Even before Mary had died and he'd found out about the supernatural world that existed within his own world, he'd hated feeling like there wasn't anything he could do.

He glared reproachfully at the cast on his broken leg, thankful that it would soon be coming off. Until then, he had to use crutches to get around, relying on Bobby and Sam to look after himself, and Dean.

John paused as he through of his eldest son. Dean had come perilously close to death this time… much too close for John's liking. He'd been on the verge of making a deal with the yellow-eyed demon himself in order to trade his life for his oldest son's before Sam had stopped him, offering a solution that didn't involve anyone dying. Sam hadn't really elaborated on what the solution was but it had worked. Dean had begun to recover within hours. He was still a little pale and shaky and the bruising had yet to fade, but Dean would survive.

The Impala, on the other hand, was a different story. John had let out a groan when he saw the wreck that had once been their family car. Sam had already started trying to repair the damage and Bobby had encouraged it, giving the younger man something to do while his father and brother recovered; a distraction for the guilt Sam felt as he blamed himself for the accident. Sam wasn't a mechanical sort of person, but he knew the basics. By the time he worked up to the parts that were more complex, both Dean and John would be sufficiently recovered enough to chip in or take over.

Once the Impala was repaired, John knew Dean wanted to get straight back into the hunting. Sam, although slightly less enthusiastic than his brother, also wanted to hit the road once again. For once in his life, John was inclined to have a break. Maybe it was just because he was getting older and had just survived an incident that could have very easily robbed him of both his sons, but John wanted to spend time with them. Time spent together without having to worry about monsters, demons, werewolves, spirits and witches.

John flicked through his journal once again, stopping at a specific page, taking note of a scribbled note in the corner of a page. Maybe it was time that he told the boys about Adam, the younger half-brother they shared. Sam would be thrilled to not be the youngest anymore and Dean, although probably suspicious at first, would warm up to his younger brother as well.

Thinking of Adam, the son he still had some contact with, also made John think about Alexander, the son whom he had no contact with. Almost five months younger than Adam, Alexander had been born in a town called Sunnydale in California to Jessica, a woman who John had had a few encounters with. John had visited briefly a couple of times in Alexander's early years but when he'd been four, Alexander's mother had ordered John to stay away from his son and her family, which now included Tony Harris, a man whom she had married during her pregnancy and who Alexander called Daddy. John had respected Jess's wishes, leaving Sunnydale and never returning. Alexander would be sixteen now and John often wondered what he looked like and what sort of person his youngest had grown to become. Sometimes he regretted his decision to stay away, but at other times he was glad, knowing that it was the best way to protect Alexander from any supernatural threats that would see the youngest son of John Winchester as a potential target.

John sighed and rubbed his face. He knew that it was highly potential that he had other illegitimate children out there. It had been common for him to leave Dean and Sam at a rented house for a few weeks for a hunt and once the hunt was over, he would go out, seeking comfort in the arms of a welcoming woman. In those alcohol-infused few hours, any form of contraception or protection was not thought of, so John was quite sure that there were other young people aged about nineteen or younger running around the United States of America that carried his DNA. He knew that Dean and Sam knew but it was never discussed. To actually acknowledge that John had slept around would mean acknowledging that John had betrayed Mary.

John looked out the window, where Dean was leaning against a car wearily, his pale face focused on the Impala, while Sam worked on the car. John felt pride well up within him as he watched his boys. The time had come, finally, for Dean and Sam to learn of and meet their younger brothers.

Well, at least one of them, anyway.

SPN/BtVS

Dean Winchester was not pouting… he was scowling. Dean Winchester does not pout; Dean found himself thinking as he… scowled at the wall of the motel he, his brother and his father were staying in. John was out getting dinner and Sam was on his new laptop.

"I thought Dad said no hunting or researching?" Dean grumbled at Sam, who looked over at him.

"I'm not researching. I'm reading a newspaper, you know, to keep informed of what's going on in the world."

Dean snorted. "Who cares? It's not like anything on the news affects us or anything."

"Gas prices are going to go up."

"Are you kidding me?" exclaimed Dean, thumping his head back on the wall. First he finds out that he didn't just have one little brother, but three (that John was aware of), and then gas prices were going to go up again. That meant that he was going to have to hustle pool just to cover the fuel costs to get down to California, where his youngest brother was born. Why didn't Adam and Alexander live closer together?

Dean fell quiet again, thinking about the sixteen-year-old kid he had met that afternoon. Adam looked almost exactly like he had when he was sixteen; it was undeniable that they were related. He'd almost choked when Adam had happily chatted about John's visits over the years, when they had played catch together and John had taught him how to ride a bike and, a few short months ago, how to drive. It all sounded… normal and Dean couldn't help but feel a tad bit jealous of the younger boy. While John hadn't spent as much time with Adam as he had with Dean and Sam, it sounded like John had done a lot of activities generally reserved for fathers and sons with Adam. Of course, Adam didn't know about the supernatural and he didn't hunt, so he didn't need to train like Dean and Sam had in order to survive, but Dean hadn't even thought that John was capable of having a normal relationship with a son. Apparently he was.

Dean's thoughts moved from John's relationship with Adam to the boy himself. He was a likable boy, obviously echoing Sam by being interested in school and by being generally very intelligent. At the same time Adam enjoyed playing baseball, while Dean had played football, and Sam had played Soccer. Sam had joked on the way back to the motel about what Alexander would play. John had chuckled while Dean had smiled, still coping with the idea of having so many younger brothers to look after. Sammy was bad enough, now there would be three and the younger two were only teenagers. Moody, sulky and immature, Dean groaned out loud at the very thought.

"I'm too old to deal with this," he sighed. Sam snorted from where he sat, obviously having heard the comment.

"Is that an admission to being old, Dean? Come on, you're only 27."

"It's older than I was when you were sixteen and that was tiring enough. And besides, there are two of them."

"But there are also two of us. We can split big brother duties now. Adam is also a big brother to Alexander. I feel sorry for that kid. He's going to have three older brothers fussing over him."

Dean had to admit that Sammy had a valid point at that. Alexander's was not a boat he wanted to be in. He was about to make a comment about Sam barely being able to look after himself, let alone others, but decided not to, remembering that Sam was reasonably fragile at that moment. The encounter with Yellow Eyes and the following car crash had deeply shaken Sam and Bobby had warned Dean that he needed to be careful around his brother and help build up the younger guy's confidence once again. Dean had promised to do so, knowing that the family road trip would be a good opportunity to do so.

He sighed as he heard the rumble of the truck that John was driving outside the room. They had decided to take two cars, knowing that potentially having five in the Impala wasn't a great idea. Sam barely fit in the back seat by himself without having two growing teenaged boys shoved in with him. John was driving an old truck that he had brought when he'd given Dean the Impala.

Having the second vehicle also gave the option of keeping Sam and John separate if they had one of their famous arguments, even though things had been very civilized so far.

John had asked Adam's mother about taking Adam with him, Dean, and Sam on a road trip over the summer vacation. She had happily given her permission, stating how she didn't like leaving Adam alone so much while she was working in the local hospital as a nurse and that it was good for Adam to have the chance to get to know and bond with his father and brothers. Adam had been thrilled with the idea of being able to hit the road with his family, as well as having the chance to have some genuine male bonding time with his father and brothers.

Dean's gut was telling him that the whole thing was going to end up in a chick flick moment.

SPN/BtVS

Sam seemed to be taking it all in his lengthy stride, John couldn't help but observe on the morning of their departure. Obviously he enjoyed not being the youngest after 23 years of being the target of Dean's overprotective instincts. While it was true that Dean hadn't yet formed a bond with Adam, John knew that Adam would never be as close to Dean and Sam as they were to one another. Dean had, after all, practically raised Sam but John hoped that one day the brothers… all four of them, would be able to get along and care for one another.

John couldn't help but watch Sam as he checked that the weapons in the back of the Impala were well-concealed. While Adam would be traveling with John in the truck, they had decided that the weaponry stored in the Impala should be kept hidden as well. Anticipating this, the weaponry that they rarely used had been left at Bobby's house, leaving the still heavily armed Winchesters only toting their favorite weaponry and a few pieces that were frequently used. Dean had grumbled a bit but had reluctantly admitted that it needed to be done. John didn't want Adam to find out about what they did and that was that.

Sam still was showing some of the obvious guilt he'd shown in the days following the accident. John had forgiven him, knowing that it wasn't the kid's fault that he was so compassionate and hadn't been able to cope with the idea of shooting John in order to kill the demon. Sam was too much like Mary and John loved that about him. The damage to the Impala had been fixed and John and Dean were practically healed. John wasn't sure that he'd be up for another encounter with the demon but he was sure that he would give a spirit a good ass-kicking.

John knew that Dean was concerned as well, but then, when wasn't Dean concerned about Sam for whatever reason? John quietly chuckled to himself before he turned his attention back to his bag, finishing packing and zipping it up. He got up, ignoring the twinge of pain in his leg from where it had been broken, and walked out to the cars, throwing his bag up into the truck.

"We got everything?" Dean asked, obviously eager to hit the road, even if it was with an additional passenger. John and Sam both nodded and Dean locked the room, tossing the key to Sammy, who headed up to the office to hand it in. John started up his truck.

"I'll see you out on the road. I'll call to arrange a spot to stop for lunch."

"Alright." Dean nodded, waiting for Sam, who was already returning. John nodded at his younger son before driving from the motel. He turned one way towards Adam's home while the Impala followed him to the next intersection they came across before turning down a different way, on the way out of town. John chuckled as Dean accelerated away.

It was going to be an interesting summer.


	2. Chapter 1

Xander was instantly alert when he spotted the unfamiliar cars parked outside his house as he walked around the corner. They weren't police cars, which was always good, but at the same time Xander found himself hoping that Tony hadn't brought one of his friends home.

"Do you know whose car that is?" Willow asked curiously as she walked beside him, her hands tucked into her pockets.

Xander shook his head. "No, maybe we should postpone the study session, Wills. If it's one of my dad's friends, it might not be pretty."

"Xander, three days ago, I was almost dragged into the Hellmouth by a tentacley-thing. I can handle a couple of boozed-up guys," Willow said. "Besides, we get this little bit of holiday homework done and then you don't even have to look at a schoolbook until school starts up again." Willow stared at Xander with a hint of the resolve face. Xander caved.

"Fine, but if things get bad, we climb out the window and head to your house, alright?"

"Alright, but my parents are home at the moment."

Xander couldn't keep from groaning.

"That means I'm going to have to go home tonight," he pouted.

"You could always visit Mrs. Summers. I'm sure she'll let you sleep on the couch or something."

"Well, that's an idea," Xander conceded, as they crossed the front lawn. Interestingly, Tony Harris' car was not present.

"Maybe it broke down or something. Let's just go, if something's already gone wrong for him today, he's going to be in one of his moods," Xander commented. Willow swatted him gently in the arm.

"You said things were getting better," she whispered. Xander sighed. Ever since Jesse had died and the hyena possession that followed shortly after, Xander hadn't gotten many beatings from his father or any at all, in fact. Xander attributed it towards having had a growth spurt and now being almost as tall as Tony and to the fact that he'd begun to fight back. Tony Harris was strong but vampires were much stronger and Xander had learned to fight against vampires, making fending off Tony without injuring him relatively easy.

The two teenagers stepped up onto the front porch of the house and Xander pushed the screen door open, heading into the house with Willow close on his heels. The door softly closed behind her as the pair of teenagers took in the scene. Jess Harris stood at one end of the living room, glass of alcohol in hand, spare hand on hip, glaring at a group of men standing at the opposite end of the room. An older man, about his mother's age, or a bit older, stood to the front, flanked by two men in their twenties. One wore a leather jacket, the other was incredibly tall. Behind them a blonde-haired boy about the same age as Xander watched them, apprehension on his face. Everyone was looking at them or rather, at Xander. Xander coughed slightly.

"Um, what's going on?" he asked.

SPN/BtVS

John stopped his truck outside the shabby-looking house where Jess had lived all those years ago, the day he had last seen Alexander. Sam had pulled up some local records on his laptop and found that she was still living there with her husband, Tony, and Alexander.

Compared to the other homes on this street, the house looked shabby. The grass was long and the garden was overgrown and choked with weeds. The paint was peeling and there were thick cobwebs on the porch. It reminded John of many of the houses that he had seen while hunting things of darkness. The fact that his youngest son lived there sent a shiver down his spine.

"This place looks creepy," Adam commented from beside him. John couldn't help but chuckle that Adam, who knew nothing of the supernatural, could feel how wrong the house was. John opened the truck door and climbed out and Adam followed his example as the Impala pulled up behind the truck, Dean and Sam climbing out. John had initially wanted to make the first trip to see Alexander by himself but Dean, Sam, and Adam had ganged up on him. Individually, John could handle his three elder sons with ease and when Dean and Sam both pleaded with him he was more likely to yield, but it didn't work every time, but all three of them… John hadn't stood a chance, not when they were all doing puppy dog eyes at him.

Of course, it might have made a difference that it had been the first time that the three of them really connected. Dean had kept his distance from Adam, perhaps unsure how to connect to the outsider. Sam had taken Adam in under his wing, happy to have a younger brother who shared his interest in schoolwork. During the long drive, Adam had spent two days in the Impala with the older two, leaving John in the truck by himself. Those days, however, had been broken up with a day in between of Adam being in the truck with John. It was slow progress but the three boys were getting used to the idea of spending time together.

Now it was time to throw another brother into the mix.

John strode up a path to the front porch, stepping up the few steps and ignoring the twinge of pain in his leg, before knocking on the door. He knew Dean, Sam, and Adam were at his back, flanking him as if they were some sort of guard. Remembering the last time he had been at that house, perhaps it wasn't that much of a stupid idea on the boys' behalf.

After a few minutes there was a rustling sound from the other side of the door before the handle turned and Jess Harris opened the door. Time had not been kind to her. Her skin was pale and wrinkled and her hair was streaked with gray. She'd put on weight and her fingers were cigarette-stained. John wrinkled his nose instinctively when he caught the smell of alcohol wafting from her baggy clothes.

"Jess."

"John Winchester. You never listen, do you? I told you I didn't want you in my life anymore."

"I wanted to see Alexander."

"He's out with his friends."

"I can wait till he's back."

"Whatever, I don't care. I don't know what you see in the brat."

"He's still my son, even if you told me to stay away."

"Why don't you keep him? Take his ungrateful ass with you when you leave town."

"Jess, what do you mean?'

"He and Tony have never got along. He aggravates Tony, he always has, crying all through the night and keeping Tony and me awake. I should have packed him off with you when I had the chance," she spat, drinking from a flask. John could barely contain his outrage. He didn't get what Jess was being so callous about her son.

"That boy ruined my life. Tony's life. You just couldn't keep it in your pants. You couldn't just be the man and say no. Well, John, well done. If you aim to muck up the lives of others, you've certainly achieved your goal here."

John simply stared at Jess as she took another swig. He could practically feel Dean tensing up behind him, ready to jump the woman speaking so badly of his little brother. Sam was probably bracing himself to hold Dean back, or maybe would join his brother. John was pretty sure that Adam would just be shocked at what he'd just heard.

Jess was at the opposite side of the living room to the Winchesters when they heard soft voices approaching the house. Adam glanced out the front window, his breath hitching as the door opened and John saw Alexander for the first time in twelve years. He'd grown a lot since then. Alexander was about the same height as Adam, his slightly shaggy dark brown hair mirroring Sam's perfectly. He had the same eyes as Sam too. John couldn't help but think it was amusing that Adam could pass for a younger Dean and Xander looked exactly like a sixteen-year-old Sam (except maybe not as tall).

Alexander looked from the group of Winchesters to his mother and back at the Winchesters before shooting a quick glance at the slight red-haired girl who had followed him into the house.

"What's going on?" he asked.

SPN/BtVS

Dean's eyebrows rose in the air as he looked at his youngest brother for the first time. Apparently it was Sammy's turn to have a mini-me running around. The poor kid was looking around, from his mother to the Winchesters to the girl who was with him and back at his mother, clearly not knowing what was going on.

"Xander, go to your room," Jess ordered. Xander moved to the center of the room, in between John and Jess.

"Mom, who are these guys? Are they friends of Tony's?"

"No, they aren't, Xander. Go to your room."

Xander sighed and nodded, casting a suspicious look over the Winchesters, before he and his friend left the room. They waited until they heard a door close before Dean spoke in an undertone.

"Your turn to have a mini-me running around, Sam. Looks like Alexander hasn't grown into a Sasquatch yet, though."

Sam and Adam both glared at Dean, while John ignored the boys standing behind him.

"I'm serious, John, take him with you when you leave. I don't want him back, sneaking back at all hours of the night, probably picking fights, failing school if it weren't for that Rosenberg girl dragging his ass through school." Jess scowled, swigging from her flask again before turning her back to the Winchesters, walking into the kitchen and taking a bottle of alcohol from the shelf before she unscrewed the lid of her flask and topped up the small bottle with the amber liquid. Once the flask was full again, she took a swig straight from the bottle before putting the lid back on it and putting it up on the shelf again. She glared at John over the bench before she turned her head towards the back of the house.

"Xander!" she called loudly. A minute later, Xander appeared in the doorway leading to the passageway that lead to his room.

"What's up, Mom?" Xander asked softly, cautiously. John knew that Xander could sense how drunk his mother was and knew that caution was needed to avoid aggravating her. It was obvious proof that Xander was familiar with his mother's drinking habits.

"This is your biological father, John Winchester," Jess said, pointing at John. Xander paused, looking at John, a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"Hi?" Xander smiled weakly, the girl that he had arrived with clutching his hand supportively.

"Hi, how are you doing, Alexander? You've grown up a lot since the last time I saw you," John said, keeping his voice friendly, despite the anger he felt towards Jess for her attitude towards their son.

"It's just Xander." Alexander shrugged. "How long has it been?"

"Twelve years," John answered.

"I've always known I had a dad out there somewhere, you know, that wasn't Tony. Mom told me that she banned you from seeing me. I know it's not your fault that you stayed away," Xander said calmly.

John nodded. "That's good, this is Dean, Sam, and Adam, your half-brothers."

"Cool." Xander smiled, not knowing what else to say. Brothers… he had three brothers and at least two of them were older than him by a fair way. That was awesome… really awesome. Xander had always wanted a sibling, up until he'd figured out that having a sibling would mean that the other child would also have to deal with Tony and Jessica as parents and Xander didn't want to put anyone through that, so the desire had stopped and he'd accepted Willow as his replacement sibling.

"How's it going?" the eldest of the trio, Dean, asked. Xander weakly smiled.

"Um, kind of trying to take it all in," he honestly replied. It was a bit much all of a sudden. For his dad to arrive… to finally get to meet him after sixteen years and to discover that he had three older half-brothers and to meet them as well, it was all making Xander's head spin a little.

"Let's, er, go for a walk," Sam suggested, eyeing Jessica wearily. John and Xander both nodded, so Sam, Dean, Adam, and John lead the way out, while Xander and Willow followed them, glancing briefly at Jessica as they left. Jessica said nothing as her son walked out, but she gave a brief, encouraging nod. Xander and Willow both knew what she'd done… try to portray herself as a unfit mother to make John more happy to take Xander away with him and in doing so getting Xander away from Tony Harris.

Xander knew that he would never forget the gesture.


	3. Chapter 2

It was still bright outside, so Xander had no worries about going for a walk. They headed down the street, oddly quiet, considering that there was so much that needed to be said. Willow and Xander, side by side, surrounded by John Winchester and his three older sons. It made Willow feel especially small; considering how short she was compared to the men she was with.

"This is Willow, by the way," Xander introduced. "My best friend since we were, like, four."

"Nice to meet you." John nodded at the girl, surprised about Xander calling her his best friend. He would have gone for Willow being Xander's girlfriend, rather than just a friend. None of the boys had been friends with girls growing up (well, in the non-romantic sense anyway). John had a gut feeling that while Adam would be a lot like his older half-brothers, Xander would go against the grain and be the one that did things differently.

It was definitely going to make life interesting.

Eventually they reached a park and they found a picnic seat. Xander, Willow and Adam sat down on a picnic table bench, leaving the three older Winchesters on the opposite side. John immediately spotted the resemblance between Xander and Adam when they were sitting side by side.

"So," Xander nervously began, "what do you want to talk about?"

"We'll start off with a question," John said. "I'm taking the boys on a road trip this summer, we were wondering if you would like to come."

Xander broke into a wide grin but it slid from his place very quickly.

"How long would I be gone for?"

"Don't worry, you'll be back in time for school," Sam said quickly. Xander chewed his lip and shot a sideways glance at Willow, so brief that it was only because they'd been trained to be observant that the Winchesters noticed it.

"Xander, don't not go because of me. I can look after myself and there's always Giles to hang out with," she told him.

"But Wills…" Xander began.

"Xander… See… resolve face. Go," Willow interrupted, gesturing at her face. Xander sighed in defeat.

"That's a formidable weapon you've got there," Dean chuckled. Willow blushed at the compliment.

"So, when are we leaving?" Xander asked.

"Whenever you like. I'm happy to stay here for a few days… see if the town's changed much since the last time I was here. Give you boys a chance to get to know one another before we hit the road." John shrugged. Xander nodded, knowing that a few days would give himself adequate time to pack and to go to Giles to see if the Watcher had some… spell or something to determine whether or not John Winchester was actually his father. Xander had seen enough freaky stuff since meeting Buffy to know to double-check things. He didn't want John to turn out to be some psychopath that intended on abandoning Xander in the middle of the desert or something. Knowing Jessica Harris's taste in men, if Tony was anything to go by, it was highly likely that there was much more to John Winchester that met the eye and most of it would be bad.

Xander would be on his guard.

"So, what can you tell us about yourself?" Sam asked.

"Um, like what?" Xander asked.

"What do you like doing outside of school?" Dean asked

"Um, listening to music, hanging out with my friends at the Bronze – that's a local teen hangout – going to the movies, eating Twinkies and other foods rich in chocolaty goodness and watching TV."

"What type of music are you into?" Dean asked. Xander shrugged.

"Anything, although lately I've been listening to a lot of country stuff."

Dean groaned. "God, you're worse than Sammy. Dad, I shotgun taking Adam with me when we leave here. At least he has descent taste in music."

Adam grinned at being recognized by his oldest brother, something that Xander noticed and quirked an eyebrow at.

"Adam here has only known Dean and Sam for a few days too," John said as a way of explaining. Xander nodded in understanding. Dean and Sam were full blood brothers, while he and Adam were sired (Xander tried to ignore the shudder that went down his back at that particular word… fathered sounded so much better and less vampiric) a few years later, perhaps after John and the older boys' mother split up, or something. Xander wasn't going to pry; it wasn't like it was any of his business.

"So how old are you guys anyway?" Xander asked.

"Dean is 27, I'm 23 and Adam is 16," Sam replied.

Xander nodded before moving his attention over to John. "So, are there any other sibling out there that I should know about?"

"None that I'm aware of." John growled, shooting a glare in Xander's direction as a rebuke for his cheekiness. Already John had figured that Xander was a jokester, the class clown. It was different from all of the other boys. Dean had always been very serious (until he'd become a adult), Sam had been the quiet, studious one, and Adam was following in Sam's footsteps, perhaps not being quite so school-focused but still favoring books over being overly popular.

John, Dean, Sam, and Adam continued to talk to Xander. They learnt that he and Willow hung out with another girl (who was visiting her father in L.A. for the summer) and that they had previously hung around with another boy, who had died (obviously a sore subject, John had quickly skipped over it pretty quickly). Adam, Dean and Sam shared a little bit about themselves, although Adam was more forthcoming than either of his older brothers and Sam said more about himself than Dean did. John had expected this and he understood Dean's reluctance to talk. Firstly, they had only just met Xander; secondly, it was a public area; and thirdly, Willow was there and she wasn't a relative… she was an outsider and John had trained Dean and Sam to be distrustful of outsiders.

John understood why she was there. She was there to support Xander, something familiar for him to have around as he tried to process everything that was happening, everything that he'd been told about. She was doing a good job of it, keeping quiet, but if Xander looked worried or tensed up, she'd softly nudge him or move her arm so that she could take his hand reassuringly under the table. John could see how much having Willow there meant to his youngest son and how much she cared for him, knowing when Xander needed extra support without being asked.

It pleased John that Xander had such a good friend. He was willing to bet that Xander's childhood hadn't been great, despite being the only one of the boys to have a male and a female role model growing up, so it would have been important for Xander to have a friend who would look after him and care for him and John knew just from watching them that Willow had been that friend for a very long time. Probably for as far back as they both remembered.

John was glad that Willow was there, because he felt that if she hadn't been there then he and the boys wouldn't have learned nearly as much about Xander compared to the information they had been able to gather with her present. John would always appreciate her loyalty to Xander throughout the interrogation he was being taken through.

SPN/BtVS

It came as a surprise to the entire group when they realized that the sun was hanging low in the sky. They were not far from Xander's house, so Xander was not worried about the dangers of walking home in the night but he was surprised at how quickly the time had passed. Overall Xander had found the process of talking to his father and brothers enjoyable. There had been moments when he'd tensed up but Willow had been there beside him, loyal, trustworthy, and reassuring, unwavering in her support of him, just like she always had been.

Xander, however, felt as though his head was going to explode with the amount of information it had gathered during the one and a half hour discussion, along with the revelations that had taken place back at his house.

"We should head back," Xander said. "This part of town gets a bit rough at night."

John nodded and they all got tho their feet, John wincing and cursing under his breath when he felt his leg protest after being still for so long. Xander's eyes narrowed in concern, as did the eyes of the older boys.

"I'm fine," John said gruffly before he started to limp off, the stiffness wearing off after a couple of steps, allowing him to take up his usual striding walkne,"arrowed in concern, as did the eyes of the older boys.

s leg protest after beign stil for so long. ack at his house.

er. The others had to hurry to catch up, or rather, the teenagers did. It wasn't much of a struggle for the tall Dean and it was easy for the extremely tall Sam to catch up with their father.

Xander, Adam, and Willow ran to catch up before walking with the rest of the group back towards Xander's house, although Xander and Willow instinctively slowed down cautiously when they saw Tony's car parked in the driveway.

"Maybe you guys shouldn't go back inside," Xander said cautiously. "Tony is home."

"Tony?" Sam asked curiously.

"My stepdad," Xander supplied. John nodded in agreement, remembering the man who he had met the last time he had seen Xander. The man had felt dangerous and John had gone along with his order to leave to avoid bringing violence into his youngest son's home. Judging by the pinched look on Xander's face and the slight worry on Willow's, Tony Harris was not known to be a nice guy. John felt himself bristle in anger at the though of anyone hurting Xander.

He wasn't going to confront Tony that day, however. Yes, at some point, but not now. Tony was dangerous and while he knew he could look after himself and Dean and Sam were capable of looking after themselves, Adam and Xander were not and there was no way John was going to put them in danger.

Willow glanced at her watch at that moment and groaned.

"What?" Xander asked.

"I'm running late and my bag is inside. My parents are going to kill me."

"I'll run in and get it," Xander offered. Willow shook her head.

"I'll go with you."

Xander scrunched up his face. "Are you sure?"

"I've met your dad before, Xander. I'll be fine," Willow told him. Xander groaned softly and faced the Winchesters.

"We'll be right back." He smiled charmingly before the pair headed into the house. John winced as he heard a loud male voice emit from the house, knowing that it was Tony. The words were slurred and difficult to understand at the distance the Winchesters were from the building, but the tone was definitely negative and it was focused at Xander.

A few minutes later, the front door opened and Xander and Willow hurried out, both carrying backpacks and shooting looks over their shoulders back towards the house.

"Do you guys happen to have a spare bed in your motel room?" Xander asked. "Usually I stay with Willow when he gets like this, but her parents are in town at the moment and they don't really like me."

"Sorry, Xander," Willow mumbled.

"It's okay, so not your fault. Can I just say now that I am so glad that I am not actually related to him?"

"Of course," John scoffed. As if he would turn Xander out onto the street. Sure, it would be a bit squishy, but they would manage.

Willow smiled. "Well, I better head home. Mom was planning a family dinner tonight and I was supposed to be back ten minutes ago."

"Ah, Willow, always the rebel." Xander teased.

"It was nice meeting you all." Willow smiled at John and the boys before she turned and began to walk down the darkening street.

"Hey, kid, do you want a ride?" John offered, hating the thought of a girl walking alone in a steadily darkening night.

Willow stopped in surprise. She and Xander had once lived next door to one another, but then she had moved and it was at least a fifteen minute walk. Buffy had warned her against walking the trip without either the Slayer or Angel present at night and Willow guessed from the dimming sky that by the time she got home, even if she practically ran the whole way, the vampires would be out and she would be in danger.

"Um…if it's not too much trouble." She smiled sheepishly. John smiled and gestured towards his truck. Willow and Xander moved towards it and Adam followed the two older sons of John to the Impala.

Willow gave directions to her house to John as he drove, nervously chewing her lip as they went. She was going to be in deep trouble. It was going to be horrible, Willow hated being in trouble. She knew that she should not have stayed out so late but Xander had needed her.

She thought back on what Tony had yelled, about how Xander spent all his time sleeping around with girls, meaning herself and Buffy, and that it was a wonder that Xander hadn't gotten either of them knocked up yet before turning on Xander and saying it was proof of how much of a failure he was. It had been horrible for Willow but she knew it would have been ten times worse for Xander.

Willow was glad that now Xander would have a chance to escape his brutal home life, even if it was only for the summer. Thanks to the arrival of John Winchester and Xander's half-brothers, she hoped that maybe Xander would have the opportunity to experience what life with a real family was like. Sure, it wouldn't be the stereotypical nuclear family that her mother babbled on about in her books, but it still had to be better than what Xander was escaping from.

John parked the car at the curb outside Willow's house and she smiled, getting her bag together.

"Thank you for the ride. I really appreciate it." She smiled to John before she climbed out of the truck and onto the lawn outside her house. The front door of her house was opening and she sighed. This was obviously not going to go well.

Sheila Rosenberg stormed out of the house, glaring at her daughter as Willow trudged up the path to her house, her head bowed.

"What time do you call this, Willow? Your father and I allowed you to be out all day with that good-for-nothing Harris boy and we ask one thing of you. One thing, to be back at a respectable hour of the night. Can you do that one thing? No, you can't. You flaunted the rules, Willow. We're very disappointed in you. It was disrespectful and rude, Willow, and your father and I will not tolerate it," Sheila scolded, completely unaware that John had gotten out of the truck, Xander at his heels. John had been intending on taking some of the slack off Willow but then Sheila had made the comment about Xander and he'd felt his blood boil. John grew closer to the pair, seeing how much the verbal assault was tearing Willow apart.

"And who do you think you are?" Sheila spat before she stopped, taking a good look at him. John felt his stomach constrict, her face very familiar. L.A., if he recalled rightly. He had just finished a hunt for Bobby and had gone to a bar in order to unwind for the night when he had met up with the redhead, who was already heavily drunk.

"John Winchester." Sheila smirked. "It's been a long time,"

"It has," John agreed.

"Hang on, you know him? You know her?" Xander asked.

"Of course," Sheila said, "like I would ever forget the only man other than my husband that I've slept with since I got married." Willow actually choked at her mother's comment. Sheila turned cold eyes on her daughter.

"Of course, you silly girl. Why do you think you have no siblings? Ira Rosenberg is infertile… he always has been. John Winchester is the one who got me pregnant with you."

A stunned silence met Sheila's announcement. Xander needed to only glance at John's face to know that the man had never known that Sheila had carried his child. Sheila looked rather triumphant at the look of shock on John's face. Willow, in contrast to her mother, had gone almost white in color, her pale skin going almost translucent.

"I guess that makes me your sister, Xander," she said softly before her legs gave way beneath her and she fainted.


	4. Chapter 3

Xander caught Willow before her head hit the ground, his reflexes kicking in. He held her in his arms, cradling her head in his lap as he knelt on the Rosenberg's front lawn. It was then that Willow's comment hit him. Willow was his sister… his younger sister. Not only did he have three older brothers, but he had a little sister as well… and that sister was Willow, his best friend since they were in kindergarten. Xander, all of a sudden, was feeling dizzy and faint himself. He looked up at John, begging his newfound father to deny the allegation, to say that he was somewhere else at the time but John wasn't shaking his head or denying anything.

"You never told me," he said instead. "You never told me you were married."

"Ira and I were fighting at the time. I went out to find someone who could make me forget about how we were doomed to a childless future. Then you came along and I knew I had my man. I never realized that you would make it so that my husband and I never fought again. I never thought that you would make Ira and I parents and grant our biggest wish. We owe you for that."

"No problems," John said sarcastically. "Just call me again when you need me to be a sperm donor."

Xander shifted slightly, holding Willow like this was becoming really uncomfortable. Unfortunately, John seemed to be a little occupied trying to process the fact that he had another child out there, one he had never known about until now, while Sheila was focused on the man who had fathered her daughter and was ignoring the teenager in question.

"Um… little help?" Xander eventually voiced. It snapped John out of his thoughts.

"She didn't know?" he said, crouching down beside Willow, easing her out of Xander's arms and lifting her with ease.

"No, she didn't." Sheila managed to look slightly guilty as she turned towards the house and began to lead John and Xander in. At that moment, the Impala pulled up at the curb and Dean, Sam and Adam emerged, hurrying up to their father and younger brother.

"What happened?" Dean asked, taking in Willow's limp form. John shifted her in his arms slightly; unable to remember the last time he'd had to carry one of his boys like this. She was much lighter than Dean and Sam had been at her age.

"She fainted," Xander told his brothers… their brothers… his and Willow's older brothers. It was going to take a lot of getting used to. Xander glanced at John, who shook his head slightly. Xander nodded slightly in reply, understanding that John didn't want to go into details. Dean, Sam, and Adam were still getting used to the idea of Xander existing without having to deal with the news that they had a younger sister as well. John would tell them later on.

Sheila led the group into the house and the older three boys waited downstairs while John carried Willow upstairs to her room and Xander followed his father. As John reached the landing at the top of the stairs, Willow groaned, returning to consciousness.

"Shh, it's okay, kid. I've gotcha," John said soothingly. Willow opened her eyes blearily, looking up at him with eyes that were similar (but definitely not identical) to Dean and Adam's. Willow rested her head against his chest as John carried her into her room. He lowered her to the bed as Sheila had pulled the covers back. She glared at Xander.

"Um, you okay, Wills?' Xander asked, knowing that Sheila hated it when he was in Willow's room.

"Yeah," Willow said weakly. "I think I'm good.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Xander said, giving Willow a significant look. She knew what it meant. She nodded in reply.

"See you then," she said, before dropping back into the dark oblivion of sleep.

SPN/BtVS

The next morning, Willow snuck out before her parents were even up, knowing that she was still in trouble for being late the previous night. She'd only been saved from an on-the-spot grounding by John's arrival and the bombshell that had dropped as a result.

She walked to the school, sitting on a bench and eating a banana she had taken from the fruit bowl at home. Giles wouldn't get to the school and unlock the library until about nine and it was currently almost eight.

Knowing that she had a long wait ahead of her, Willow pulled a book about demons out of her bag and began to read, hoping that Giles would be able to do something to determine whether or not she and Xander shared a father and if that father was John Winchester.

Not too long afterwards, Xander trotted into the courtyard, dressed in a shirt and pair of jeans that were obviously not his, a backpack slung over his shoulder.

"I borrowed a set of clothes from Adam," he said by way of explanation as he sat down next to Willow. Willow put her book away, having marked her page.

"So, what happened last night?" she asked.

"Well, we went back to the motel. Nobody said anything till we got into the room and then Dean and Sam, the oldest two, they started asking John… Dad… about you. John asked me when your birthday was and then counted back, checking this journal that he had. He said that he was in L.A. at that time and that Sheila had approached him and that he'd been busy working and needed to… unwind. They were a bit peeved by the whole thing, so Adam and I just sat and watched. He asked me about you and I told him that you were a straight A student and you were really compassionate. Sam and Dean eventually came over and listened to me as well. I think they were all a bit surprised. From what I gathered, things have been a bit off between Dad and the older guys ever since he told them about Adam and me a few weeks ago. It's not something they have against you, it's just that they were a bit peeved about Dad going out and… you know, when he finished his work instead of coming home to look after them. They weren't that old when we were born after all. Their mom died when Sam was just six months old and Dean was four at the time and he had to bring up Sam, according to Adam."

Willow leaned forward in her seat. After fifteen years of being an only child she finds out that she has four older half-brothers, one of whom was Xander. From what Xander had found out the previous night, it sounded very likely. She couldn't picture her mother sleeping with more than two men but then, she'd never imagined her mother cheating on her father, not even during an argument between the two. Xander put his arm around Willow's slender shoulders, holding his best friend close.

"It wouldn't be too bad, Wills. I mean, John seems to be a great guy and Dean and Sam and Adam seem to be pretty great. Imagine how cool it would be if you could come with us when we go on the road trip. Seriously, when have we had the opportunity to see the world beyond Sunnydale? Giles and Angel can handle the Hellmouth and Giles has been saying that it's really quiet at the moment because all the vampires are still pulling themselves together after the thing with the Master."

Willow looked over at Xander sadly before she launched herself into his arms. They clung to one another tightly, Willow's face buried in Xander's shoulder while he rested his chin on the top of Willow's head, his hand rubbing up and down her back.

"If anyone in the world could be my brother, I would have chosen you, Xander Harris," she said. Xander sniffed and decided that the moisture on his face was rain, because he certainly wasn't crying at Willow's comment. Willow's shoulders shook as she sobbed onto Xander's shoulder.

"And if I could choose anyone in the world to be my sister… and they had nothing to do with Tony, I would have chosen you, Willow… in a heartbeat. You've always been like a sister to me."

"Maybe we subconsciously knew," Willow suggested.

Xander shrugged. "Maybe, but what I mean is… even if we aren't related, you're still the best sister I could ever have. And if we are related, well, that just means that you're the best sister I could ever have and it turns out that you are actually my sister and not just my best friend in the whole world." Willow smiled into Xander's chest at his rambling. Maybe they were related after all.

She thought back on her feelings for Xander as she'd gotten older, and how she'd developed a crush on him… Those feelings had, in the last twenty-four hours, disappeared, leaving her knowing that she and Xander weren't meant to be together in a romantic sense; instead they were brother and sister… even if they ended up not sharing a father. She was a part of him and he a part of her. They'd been all the other had ever since their earliest memories and the bond they forged during the past eleven or so years was unbreakable.

The two best friends sat and held one another, savoring the sense of belonging and friendship that they shared, born from being the only one in the world the other could ever trust from early childhood onwards.

SPN/BtVS

Giles let his jaw drop when he walked into the courtyard and found the two teenagers, holding each other as if their friend was the only thing keeping them alive. Giles' heart caught in his throat as he wondered what would cause such a reaction for the pair. It was almost certainly bad news. He felt a thrill of horror go through him as he wondered if something had happened to Buffy. Joyce was not likely to call him if there was bad news but she would call Willow and Xander.

"Willow? Xander? Whatever is wrong?" Giles asked. Xander and Willow pulled away form one another, although Xander kept an arm around Willow's shoulders.

"Can we talk in the library?" Xander asked. Giles nodded, polishing his glasses.

"Of course, come on." He hurried off, leaving Willow and Xander to catch up with him. The pair of teenagers hurried, catching up while Giles was unlocking the door of the school. They walked through the deserted corridors until they reached the library or rather, what was left of it since the Master's attempted rising. They walked around the destruction into Giles' office and observed as the Watcher went about making up a pot of tea.

"Now, what troubles you?" Giles asked, taking in the red, puffy eyes of both teenagers.

"I've always known that Tony Harris isn't my real dad but last night, a guy… John, came to my house claiming to be my biological dad. My mother confirmed it and it all seemed okay. He had his three older sons with him and he asked if I wanted to go on a road trip with them this summer. It was all okay. My dad reacted… as my dad usually does to things and it was decided that I would spent the night in the motel with John and my brothers."

"Perhaps not the wisest of ideas… Motels and the like offer no protection from vampires," Giles interrupted.

"Yeah, well, it was the motel, the streets, or your house," Xander defended. "Anyway, Willow came with me for moral support while I talked to John and that was all okay until she realized that it had made her late for her curfew. John and I took her back home and John got out to explain to Mrs. Rosenberg that it was his fault. She was really angry and tearing into Willow and John stepped up to her and she was all shocked and started screaming that John was Willow's biological father, too."

Giles choked on the mouthful of tea he had just taken.

"Wait a minute… are you saying that…?" 

"Xander and I share a biological father, yeah, that about sums it up."

"Is it…er, likely?" Giles asked.

Willow shrugged. "I don't know, I haven't spoken to my mom since… I kind of fainted last night and I snuck out early this morning," she admitted.

"Willow, you rebel," Xander teased. Willow blushed and ducked her head, ashamed at her actions. Xander put his around her shoulders reassuringly.

"Anyway, John's two eldest sons quizzed him at the motel last night and it sounded like it's possible," he continued

"My parents lived in L.A. until I was born," Willow added. "And John said that he was in L.A. at about the right time."

"So, what do you think, Giles, is there something you can do to confirm or deny that we're actually brother and sister? I don't know… like spell or a ritual or… something?" Xander asked.

"Well, yes, I do believe that I know a spell that can assess the likelihood of your being related." Giles polished his glasses. "It's in one of my books."

"So, research session?" Xander asked.

"Research session," Giles confirmed.


	5. Chapter 4

Xander, Willow and Giles crowded together, looking at the page of the book that Giles had eventually located. Giles removed his glasses and polished them as he read and reread the spell. Willow and Xander looked from the page in the books to each other and then to Giles.

"Is there a problem, G-man?" Xander asked.

"No, the spell seems very straightforward and please don't call me that horrid name, Xander."

"Sorry, Giles," Xander apologized, not looking the least bit remorseful.

"It says here that we need something of your father's in order to conduct the spell," Giles commented, reading from the thick book, "as well as something of each of yours and a couple of other ingredients."

Willow and Xander nodded. Xander pulled off the jacket he was wearing and put it on Giles' desk.

"John leant me that. I was only wearing a t-shirt last night, and when I left this morning it was too cold to go without," he explained.

"I wondered about that… it looked too big to be Adam's." Willow commented before she paused thoughtfully, trying to consider what object she should use. In the end, she took off her wrist watch and put it on top of John's jacket. Xander went back to the cage in the main library, returning with the pocket knife that Giles had given him as a birthday present. Giles looked quite touched that Xander had chosen the knife and cleared his throat, giving his glasses another (unneeded) polish.

"Very well, then. I will collect the other ingredients from my stores," he said before he went to a storage cabinet, unlocking the doors before removing several little bundles of a couple of grainy powders and a few small vials of varying-colored liquids and a small pewter bowl to mix everything up in.

"Now," he said, returning to the desk with the ingredients, "what I need to do is to add the ingredients one at a time before chanting the spell. The ingredients will form a powder, which we then sprinkle on the possessions. If you and, er, John, are all related, then it will become apparent, as will it be if only one of you is related to him."

Willow and Xander nodded in understanding and Giles set to work, carefully measuring out the required amount of each ingredient. Willow helped, passing him the ingredients when they were needed, while Xander took them from Giles, reattached the lids and put them in a stack on the other side of the bowl. Once the ingredients were all added Giles began to chant.

"_Reveal to us, oh Spirits, the bonds of blood running deep,_

_Of brothers, sisters, long since lost and secrets buried deep,_

_We hunt the truth, oh Sprits, and ask that you provide the answers we seek,_

_So mote it be."_

Giles spoke the chant three times before he raised the bowl and poured the contents over the jacket, the watch and the knife. Then, the three leaned forward, watching in anticipation for what was to happen next.

SPN/BtVS

John stayed thoughtfully quiet as he watched Sam and Adam bicker about… of all things… what was better out of Star Wars and Star Trek. Sam was on the side of Star Trek, while Adam was a Star Wars fan. John knew that Adam liked those movies… he'd taken Adam to see a couple of them at the movie theater when the boy was younger. It had all gone over John's head but Adam had obviously enjoyed it, so he wasn't going to complain.

Dean was watching the pair, shaking his head sadly at the pure geekiness of his two older younger brothers. He'd originally hoped that Xander would turn out to take after him and be at least moderately cool, but then Dean had seen the brightly-colored monstrosity that Xander called a shirt and all hope had left him. Dean was doomed to being the solitary cool one out of John Winchester's numerous progeny.

The thoughts of the two men turned to Xander, both of them subconsciously knowing that the sixteen-year-old was the object of the other's thoughts. Xander had been quiet the previous night… understandably when they considered that the poor kid had just found out that his best friend of eleven or so years was actually his half-sister. Even considering all of the things that Dean had seen and experienced throughout his life, it was weird and Dean couldn't even begin to understand how his younger brother must be feeling… not to mention how Willow was feeling.

From what his father had said, it sounded, to Dean anyway, that Willow hadn't even known that the man she lived with… the man her mother was married to, hadn't actually been her biological father. Xander and Adam had both always known about John or in Xander's case, that his mother's husband was not his father but Willow had, for the last fifteen years, been unaware that her whole life had been a lie.

As much as he didn't know how to cope with crying girls and how much he hated chick flick moments, he really hoped that she would be okay. Having a sister wouldn't be too bad. He had Sammy, which was close enough, so Dean figured he could cope with a little sister. Thinking back, he reflected on the girl who had sat supportively beside Xander while they'd met with him the previous afternoon before her world had been flung upside down.

She'd been quiet, perhaps knowing that she wasn't really wanted at the discussion, but had remained beside her best friend loyally despite how uncomfortable she would have felt. Dean could see that the loyalty between Xander and Willow ran both ways, considering how early Xander had gotten up, dressed in a pair of pants that belonged to Adam as well as one of the other teenager's shirts and John's jacket to ward off the morning chill, before he'd apologetically made his excuses to leave, saying that he had to go and talk to Willow about things, how she was going to need him to cope. John had let him go wordlessly. Dean figured that John knew that it would be futile to try and keep Xander away from Willow. The relationship between the two echoed the bond between Dean and Sam. Sure, they were much closer in age than Dean and Sam were, meaning that Xander would probably not have brought Willow up like Dean had to Sam, but on the same note, they were close in a way that Dean and Sam had never been, having spent their school years in the same class.

Adam, it appeared, was going to end up as the middle child in every way possible, stranded between the two groups. Dean couldn't help but wonder if either John would make a special effort to bond with Adam because of his lonely position in the family, or if Adam would be included in Xander and Willow's little partnership, considering he was only about four months older than Xander and just over a year older than Willow.

Dean watched as John huffed a little before getting out his phone and stalking towards the door.

"I'll be back in a minute," he told Dean before walking out of the motel room. Dean nodded, guessing that the phone call was going to relate somehow to something supernatural, and therefore had to be done away from Adam's hearing.

Dean sat quietly until his phone beeped, indicating he had a new message.

'Come outside and bring something of Xander's.'

Dean sighed and got up, crossing over to the bed that Adam and Xander had shared the previous night. It had been a bit squishy but they'd managed. The two younger boys had shared a double bed while Dean and Sam shared the other. John had slept on the couch. Dean would offer to sleep on the couch next time. He'd forgotten how uncomfortable it was to share a bed with Sammy the Sasquatch.

He eventually located Xander's shirt from the previous night and, trying to hide it from Adam's view, he slipped out of the motel room. Sam had caught his eye and had upped the stakes a bit in their argument in order to keep Adam engrossed in the argument and ignorant of what Dean was doing.

John was leaning against his truck, looking at a slip of paper which was covered in his familiar writing.

"I just called Bobby and he told me a ritual that would indicate if Willow… and Xander are related to us."

"I thought we were sure about Xander," Dean asked, handing over the teen's shirt.

"I am, you were the one asking questions last night," John argued. Dean shrugged, deciding it was best to go along.

"How are we going to do this?" Dean asked.

"We're going to need to gain access to Willow's house. We need something of hers," John replied. Dean nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to go and talk to Sheila. While I have her distracted, you sneak into Willow's room and take something, not something that she'll miss. Even a couple of hairs out of her hair brush will work."

"Great." Dean nodded.

"Right, you go tell Sam and Adam that we're going out. We'll pick up some lunch on the way back."

Dean nodded, heading back to the motel room and passing on the message. Sam shot Dean a pointed look, knowing that he and John were up to something but at the same time, he looked quite happy to stay behind and spend some one-on-one time with Adam.

Satisfied that his two younger brothers… or at least two of them were happy and safe, Dean got up into the truck beside John and rode alongside into the Rosenberg's house. Dena got out and wandered down the street inconspicuously while John walked straight up to the front door. He knocked a few times and waited. Eventually, he heard the lock click and the door opened, revealing a small, mousy-looking man with a balding head and a full beard. Sheila stood behind him.

"I'm John Winchester," John introduced himself.

"Ira Rosenberg, Sheila's husband. I think you better come inside," Ira replied, taking John's offered hand and shaking it before standing aside. John crossed over the threshold, getting a second look at the house his daughter lived in… potential daughter anyway.

"Have you seen Willow this morning?" Ira asked as John was led into a living room and seated on an uncomfortable couch. John was taken by the neatness of the room and the lack of personal belongings and decorations. It felt cold and unwelcoming.

"No, Xander was going to meet up with her somewhere. Why?"

"She was grounded and yet she snuck out this morning. It's not like her to act like this. It must be that Harris boy's influence and that friend of hers… Bunny." Sheila scowled.

"You said that you saw Xander this morning?" Ira asked.

"Yes, he stayed with me and my boys last night. I'm actually Xander's biological father. I had a car accident recently and it made me realize how important it was for me to connect with my children, because life is so fragile," John said. Ira smiled while Sheila choked.

"You mean, you'd slept with Jessica Harris… oh God, it was before me too since he's older than Willow. It's a wonder I didn't catch anything off you."

"I value your opinion of life, John" Ira said, ignoring his wife's tirade, "death is all around us and unfortunately, we never know who the next may be to fall. I often tell people through my work- I am a rabbi, you see – that it is important to always treat each day as your last, because you never know when God might call you into his arms. God works in ways that we cannot even begin to understand, after all," he counselled wisely

John nodded, finding Ira to be the humble sort of man who valued peace and was used to playing the peacekeeper, which would explain why he wasn't responding to Sheila's mutterings and expressions of disgust at having shared John with Jess Harris, even though it was at completely different times.

"You are exactly right." John nodded.

SPN/BtVS

Dean snuck around the Rosenbergs' house until he found a trellis that he could climb up in order to get onto a balcony that looked like it would lead to a bedroom. He looked around to make sure nobody from the neighboring buildings were watching, although it was a weekday and most of the inhabitants were probably at work.

The coast looked clear, so Dean began to climb, easily scaling the lattice and dropping onto the balcony. Now was the next job, picking the lock on the French doors that opened out onto the balcony.

He couldn't help but notice, however, that the room on the other side of the door looked quite feminine and girly. Perhaps it was Willow's room. There was no evidence of another kid living at the house, Xander had never mentioned Willow having a sibling and if what his father had told him about what Sheila Rosenberg had said about her husband was accurate then the chances were probably very slim. Letting out a sigh, Dean got his lock-picking tools out of his pocket and set to work.

It didn't take long until the lock gave a satisfying click and Dean cautiously touched the doorhandle, twisting and pushing as the door moved inwards. Dean packed up his kit and crossed the threshold into the room. He looked around, smirking at the large amount of computer-related paraphernalia that was on and around her computer and the large supply of textbooks that she had stacked on her desk beside the computer. Obviously Willow was like Sam, into reading books… and computers.

"Obviously, I am the coolest Winchester," Dean smiled to himself before he began to look around the room. He found Willow's hairbrush and pulled some hairs loose, sliding them into a bag, which he sealed and put in his pocket.

Dean's gaze fell on some photographs Willow had on display. Xander was in all of them and Willow herself was in most. In some of them, she and Xander were joined by another dark-haired boy and in others, a blonde-haired girl. Dean figured that they were friends of Willow's. He couldn't help but notice the prominence of the pictures in the room, as if Willow spent a lot of time looking at them, and he smiled sadly, realizing that perhaps Willow knew that her parents… her mother especially, didn't give a damn… that they weren't her real family and that she had built up her own family with her friends from school. Dean had never really been in that position, with Sammy being all the family he really needed, especially when John was away, but he could see where the loneliness came from.

Assuming that the spell gave the result that it should, confirming that both Xander and Willow were John Winchester's children and therefore Dean, Sam, and Adam's half-siblings, Dean was going to make sure that Willow never again felt like she would have to rely on her friends to be her family… she would have all the family she ever needed with John and Dean and Sam and Adam and, of course, in Xander.

Dean owed his youngest two siblings that much.

SPN/BtVS

John and Dean met up again in the truck, John in a very dark mood for some reason. Dean held his breath, waiting for the explosion.

"She's a bitch," John eventually said as he drove. "She doesn't give a damn about anyone other than herself and her damn career."

"Sheila?" Dean asked.

"Of course. She spends almost the entire year away from her home, giving lectures on how parents should raise their children, while she's abandoning her own daughter."

Dean shook his head. What John had done to him and Sam wasn't considered great parenting practice but he and Sam had NEVER been left alone for longer than two weeks. Any longer and they simply went with John, or they went and spent the time with either Bobby or Pastor Jim. Even John had never even suggested leaving him and Sam alone for that long, even when Sam was in his late teens and Dean was legally an adult.

"That's not right," he agreed. John shook his head.

"No wonder the kid has confidence issues. The way Sheila was talking to her last night. I've never seen a kid look so… shattered, like Willow did. It reminded me of Sammy's kicked puppy look."

Neither man said anything for a little while until John stopped on the side of the road. They'd driven out of town a bit and trees surrounded the road. They walked into the woods a little before they set up the ritual. John had brought the things needed from the back of the truck. He also had, rather thoughtfully, added something of Adam's to the mix, just to be sure.

John added the necessary parts of the ritual to the small cauldron in the correct order with Dean passing the ingredients that needed to be measured out. Then John began to chant.

"_Reveal to us, oh Spirits, the bonds of blood running deep,_

_Of brothers, sisters, long since lost and secrets buried deep,_

_We hunt the truth, oh Sprits, and ask that you provide the answers we seek,_

_So mote it be."_

He spoke the chant three times before he raised the bowl and poured the contents over the belongings of himself, Adam, Xander and Willow. Then John and Dean leaned forward, watching in anticipation for what was to happen next.


	6. Chapter 5

Golden threads began to drape themselves across the objects until they were all held together in a triangle. The thread shimmered before changing color. In the lengths where it went from the jacket out to the watch and the knife it shimmered to a red colour, while in the length between the watch and the knife it turned a soft blue. Giles had his nose in the book in seconds.

"So, what's that supposed to mean?" Xander asked.

"One moment, Xander… one moment. Ah, here we are. Yes, that's right. Well, according to the spell, you and Willow do indeed share a biological parent, who's DNA matches that of John Winchester."

Xander leaned back in his seat and Willow slumped a little in hers.

"You're sure? Not that being related to Wills would be a bad thing, but you know, just making sure."

"Here, read for yourself." Giles handed Xander the book and Willow leaned over so she could read it too. Giles pointed to the relevant paragraph and the two teens began to read to themselves.

'_A pale blue thread that touches the belongings of the prospective siblings indicates that they share a single parent, that they are half-brother and sister. A red bond from the thread of the older individual to that of the younger individual(s) indicates that the older individual is the parent of the younger.'_

The book went onto to explain what other colors meant, with cousins, full siblings, uncles and aunts, and grandparents all being mentioned, but Xander and Willow weren't interested. Xander handed the book back to Giles, who closed the book and began to clear away the evidence, leaving the objects and the thread where they were. Willow and Xander sat side by side, simply looking at the results of the spell.

"So, everything I said out in the courtyard, it still applies." Xander said. Willow nodded, turning in her chair to face Xander.

"Same for what I said. You've always been the closest thing I ever had to a brother. I used to wish you were my brother. Guess maybe we subconsciously knew or something."

"Yeah, maybe." Xander grinned and Willow shifter closer to him so they could hug each other, clinging to the only one in the world that knew what the other was going through.

"I'm glad it's you," Xander said in Willow's ear.

"So am I," Willow replied.

SPN/BtVS

Dean leaned back as John told him what the little threads linking the objects together meant. That Adam, Xander and Willow were as much John's children as he and Sam were. As much as he hated magic, Dean realized that he'd needed the confirmation, just in order to make it real for him… to confirm what John had already accepted and Sam seemed eager to believe. Not only did Dean have Sammy but he also had another two younger brothers and a little sister to look after.

Of course, they all had their own homes and families but it would always be in the back of Dean's mind. The duties of being a big brother had been drummed into him for almost as long as he could remember and he knew that, now that he knew that Adam, Xander and Willow were in fact his younger half-siblings, there would be no way he would turn his back on them. If any of them needed him, he would be there as soon as he could, just like he was for Sam.

And nothing was ever going to change that.

"Dean, you okay?" John asked. Dean looked up and realized that he'd been staring at the objects for a full five minutes without saying anything. John was crouched beside him, concern written across his face.

"Yeah, I'm good. Let's get back to Sammy and Adam. Remember, we promised them lunch." Dean nodded and got to his feet. John packed the spell up, shaking the threads from the belongings. The threads fell away and disintegrated as they lost contact with the belongings. Willow's hair drifted away in the breeze but the rest of it John bundled together and put in the truck. Dean got in the passenger's seat and John in the driver's seat and they headed back into Sunnydale.

"We can't keep them waiting. Adam is a teenaged boy after all," Dean joked to his father, who chuckled in reply.

SPN/BtVS

After they'd helped Giles get the rest of the spell packed up and they worked for a few hours to get the library back in order (although there wasn't much they could do until the structural damage inflicted by the Master and the hell beasts had been fixed), Giles sent Xander and Willow on their way.

They walked through the streets of Sunnydale, enjoying the sunlight that streamed down upon the city. It was days like these that it was hard to believe that, just below the town, just below their library, the mouth of Hell simmered, ready to burst open at the whim of a psychopathic demon or vampire. Willow still had the bruising on her ankle and leg from where the hell beast with the tentacles had grabbed her and tried to drag her in.

Almost unconsciously, they ended up at the very same picnic table that they and the Winchesters had sat at not even a full day before when they'd found out about Xander's true parentage. Now, they both sat on the table, elbows resting on their knees as they looked out at the park. They could see families playing on the oval and on the playground and hear the laughter of children.

"What do you want to do now?" Willow asked.

"Honestly, go back to John and talk to him," Xander admitted. "Hey, maybe he'll invite you on the road trip now."

Willow shrugged. "Won't I be interrupting? I thought it was a guy bonding… thing."

"No, it's a family bonding thing. You're family, therefore you're included in the bonding. Adam was really curious about you last night as well. I think they all are," Xander said.

"Why don't we go get some lunch from my house and then we'll go see your… our dad and big brothers. I'm thinking toasted cheese sandwiches."

"Good idea," Xander said, smiling at the prospect of food and then seeing his family… his and Willow's family… their family.

SPN/BtVS

The one flaw in Willow and Xander's plan was Ira and Sheila Rosenberg. Willow was used to them being absent for so much that she'd quite forgotten about them until she saw the car in the driveway.

"Oh," she whispered. Xander stopped behind her.

"Wills?" he asked.

"It's okay, I would have had to face them at some point," she told him and continued on, walking up to the house, opening and closing the front door.

"Mom? Dad? I'm home," she called.

"We're in the living room, Willow," Ira relayed. Willow waved Xander towards the kitchen and walked alone into the living room, her head held high.

"Willow, where on earth have you been?"

"I promised to help Mr. Giles, the librarian at school, with the books. The library was really badly damaged int the earthquake and I was just helping him put things back in order," Willow told them. It wasn't completely a lie.

"That was very kind of you but we would have appreciated being told. Not to mention that we still need to talk about… what was disclosed last night," Ira told her. Willow sat in one of the chairs, facing her parents, who were sitting on the couch.

"Willow, I'm sorry," Sheila apologized. Willow could tell that her father had told her mother to do it and that Sheila was only doing it to please him, so she stayed quiet about the slight insincerity in her mother's voice

Willow sighed. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It would have affected the way you treated us," Sheila said, talking over Willow's head, as she almost always had. "Especially Ira, and I didn't want you constantly reminding him of my infidelity. Besides, it's not like John ever knew either and you wouldn't have been able to find him, that man is impossible to find. He wouldn't want to be tied down by a child."

Obviously Sheila didn't know about Dean and Sam or Adam, Willow thought to herself.

"Besides, we would have told you when you turned eighteen. You are, after all, only fifteen," Sheila added. Willow ducked her head, fighting the urge to snap back at her mother. She felt like everything her parents had ever told her was a lie, just like every promise that they'd ever made had been broken.

"Is it all right if I spend some time with him this afternoon?" she asked, resolve face in place. Ira replied before Sheila could.

"Yes, Willow. He is, after all, your biological father. Please, just remember that despite what we've done, we still love you, we always have and we always will."

"Thanks, Dad." Willow got up and walked out of the room. She and Xander quickly made their sandwiches and toasted them in the grill before they ate them and hurried from the house. The whole time, Ira and Sheila didn't say a word to them.

SPN/BtVS

Xander lead the way as he and Willow walked through Sunnydale towards the motel that the Winchesters were staying at. Willow was trembling slightly as they walked in apprehension, frightened of what John… her father, was going to say. Would he deny it? Willow trusted Giles' magic but how was she going to prove to John Winchester that she was his daughter?

Sensing Willow's fear, Xander stopped when they reached a park and sat down, pulling out his phone and, thankful that John had made him add his phone number to his address book that morning before he had left, hit the call button. The phone rang a few times before it was answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey… John, its Xander."

"Xander, are you okay? Where are you?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I just had to go and see the librarian at school about something."

"In the middle of summer?"

"Yeah, well, I do some jobs for him during vacation, you know, helping reorganize the books, cleaning, stuff like that," Xander lied. "Anyway, are you guys at the motel?"

"Yeah, we are. Why? You finished now?"

"Yeah, I met up with Willow there," Xander replied, smiling reassuringly at Willow.

"Do… do you want to bring her with you? I think we all need to talk," John suggested.

Xander nodded, even though John wasn't able to see him. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. We're about five minutes away."

"Alright, see you then." John hung up and Xander flicked his phone shut, sliding it back in his pocket and fixing his shoelace, which had come undone.

"Ready?" he asked. Willow nodded, chewing her lip nervously, but followed Xander as he continued to walk towards the motel. Xander smiled at her reassuringly as they walked and Willow smiled shyly in response.

They soon reached the motel and Willow breathed deeply as they crossed the car park, trying to calm herself. Xander took her hand in his and squeezed comfortingly, catching the slight movement in the curtains of the room the Winchester's were staying in out of the corner of his eye.

The pair walked in between John's truck and Dean's Impala and up to the door of the motel room. Xander knocked on it twice, turning to face Willow and smiling at her, before the door opened to reveal Sam, who smiled when he saw them, his eyes lingering on Willow before he stepped aside and let them into the small room. Dean and John were sitting at the table and Adam was sitting on the end of one of the beds. Sam sat down beside his younger brother as Willow shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other, chewing her lip apprehensively, her gaze fixed on a blood stain on the carpet at her feet.

"Um, hey," Xander greeted, breaking the obvious tension that filled the room.

SPN/BtVS

John was struck dumb as he looked at the newly arrived pair. They were his, his flesh and blood, his son and daughter, just as much as Dean and Sam and Adam were. They looked so young as they stood, side by side in the motel room, already sharing a bond that could rival Dean and Sam's in intensity, best friends since they were little kids playing in a sandbox together.

The scary thing was that it was only ten years ago that they were those kids. Willow was only fifteen and Xander was sixteen. John knew that both Dean and Sam had been well and truly involved in the hunting lifestyle by the time they were that age, but looking at Xander and Willow and Adam made him realize how young sixteen actually was. When he had spent time with Adam when the boy was younger, he had begun to realize how much of Dean and Sam's childhood he had stolen from them. John swore to himself that he wouldn't d the same to any of his younger children. They would never be involved in the supernatural, not if John could help it.

Getting to his feet, John slowly approached the two youngest members of his family. Xander looked relaxed but Willow was a completely different story. John wasn't good with feelings but even he could see the emotions being shown on her face. Fear, anxiety, insecurity, nervousness.

"Hey, Willow," John said softly, gently reaching out and touching her chin. She glanced up from the bloodstain, her eyes, so much like Dean's, shimmering with tears.

"It's okay," John told her before enveloping her in a hug. Willow sobbed, burying herself in her father's arms. John couldn't believe how right it felt. Sure, he hadn't hugged any of the others recently, given that he'd thought that they'd outgrown the gesture, but Willow just fit against him, hugging her felt right, and John knew that it was what she needed the most at that moment. Behind him, John heard Dean get up and approach Xander, ruffling the kid's hair. Xander laughed and ducked out of the way but Dean was bigger and stronger and he soon had his arm around Xander, mucking the teenager's hair up, much to the amusement of Sam and Adam.

It was in that exact moment that John realized what had happened. At some point during the course of that morning, they had become a family and it was the first time his family had really been together. For the first time in years, Mary's death didn't haunt the back of his mind like a shadow. He'd accepted it finally and had learned to appreciate what he had… the two son's Mary had given him grown into two fine young men, two other sons that were well on their way to becoming great men in their own right, and a daughter that was beautiful and smart.

And John was happy.

**A.N. Well, I hope you liked this story. There will be a sequel, which I am in the early stages of writing, which will depict the actual road trip that John, Dean, Sam, Adam, Xander and Willow will set out on.**

**If you hadn't guessed, this story is set the summer in between Season one of both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural, and the time line is kind of skewed so that they match up.**

**If you were wondering, for the purpose of this story, Dean's birthday is 24th January '79, Sam was born on 2nd May, '83, Adam was born on 29th Sep '90 (all these match with cannon date of births in Supernatural universe), Xander was born on 5th Feb '91, and Willow was born on 7th Oct '91.**

**I hope you've enjoyed this story, and that you take the time to review, as i find reviews really helpful and encouraging (and reviews will probably mean that i will write the sequel faster.)**

**R.W.**


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